Metallized plastic, i.e., non-latex, balloons are well known (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,588) and sold in large numbers throughout the world. The popularity of metallized plastic balloons is attributable in large part to the eye-catching "shiny" metallized appearance of the balloon as well as the myriad graphic designs that have been applied to one or both sides of the balloon.
Manufacturers of metallized plastic balloons typically ship the balloons to customers throughout the world using conventional shipping procedures wherein a selected number of balloons are stacked flat and packed in a suitable container, such as a cardboard box, for transport to the customer's location (e.g., a retail store). The balloons are packed in the container without any protective wrap or packaging about each individual balloon.
At the retail store, the balloons are unpacked for display to potential retail purchasers, or placed in closed storage trays. Often times, a single "sample" balloon is removed from the container for display in a conspicuous manner on a display rack, wall or other display area in the retail store. Typically, different types and styles of metallized balloons are placed on display. The potential purchaser can thereby view the respective balloons and select a particular one for purchase. However, in this situation, the purchaser usually cannot remove the selected "sample" balloon on display but, instead, must seek the assistance of a sales clerk who will provide the selected balloon from available inventory, whether in storage racks or trays or otherwise, and inflate it for the purchaser. If desired by the customer, the sales clerk also may attach a tether line to the filler neck of the selected, inflated balloon. A suitable weight is sometimes attached to the free end of the tether line. The tether line and balloon weight usually are maintained in separate inventory and locations at the retail store.
Non-metallized, so-called latex balloons are also sold and shipped in large numbers throughout the world using similar shipping procedures. At retail stores, latex balloons typically are displayed en masse in an open container so that a purchaser can simply pick the balloons from the container for purchase. Tether lines and weights for such latex balloons typically are also sold from separate inventories at the retail store.
Shipping, storage and display of balloons at the retail store in the manner described above subject the balloons to accumulation of dirt and to possible damage from handling. Metallized plastic balloons are especially prone to physical damage from handling, such as puncture, as a result of the relatively fragile nature of the materials employed in their construction. Moreover, any accumulation of dirt or wearing off of the printed graphics on these balloons detracts from their "shiny" metallized appearance.
In the past, retail stores have sold greeting cards with graphics or logos that correlated with corresponding graphics or logos on certain balloons. However, those greeting cards were made by a different entity, shipped separately from the corresponding balloons, and sold in separate locations in the store. Thus, consumers were often not aware that coordinated balloons and greeting cards were even available and the sales of such matching balloons and cards proved to be quite unsuccessful.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a packaged balloon and greeting card wherein an individual balloon, an associated balloon tether line, and a greeting card with matching graphics are packaged together in a packaging envelope for convenient shipment, storage and display as a composite unit.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a packaged balloon and greeting card wherein an individual balloon and card are packaged in a packaging envelope in a manner that protects the balloon and card from dirt and damage during shipping, storage and display to potential purchasers at retail locations.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a balloon and greeting card combination wherein the greeting card acts as a protective cover for the balloon during shipping, storage and display to potential customers.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a packaged balloon and card wherein an individual balloon and greeting card are packaged in a packaging envelope that facilitates display of the balloon and greeting card to potential purchasers in a more effective mass merchandising manner using the envelope itself, or a container adapted to receive the envelope, as a display device.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a packaged balloon and greeting card wherein the balloon and card are packaged in a packaging envelope in a manner to permit in-situ inflation of the balloon in the envelope so as to burst the envelope and thereby facilitate separation (unpackaging) of the balloon, the attendant tether line and greeting card for use by the purchaser.
Yet a further object is the provision of a balloon and coordinated greeting card with matching graphics, manufactured, marketed, stored, displayed, and sold as a composite unit, where upon inflation of the balloon, the card acts as the weight for the balloon.